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Boréal 55 – tested and reviewed

The new boréal 55 is a go-anywhere yacht that will get even the most stolid sailor dreaming of far-flung horizons.

There is something about yacht cruising that seems to attract dreamers. If you don’t believe me, head to any boatyard and have a chat with a few of the owners pottering about on their yachts. If – and I stress if – you manage to cut through the perfunctory niceties of anodes, seacocks and favoured types of antifouling to get on to cruising destinations, I almost guarantee that it won’t be long before spots like Patagonia, the South Seas or even the Northwest Passage crop up. Never mind that the yacht in question has never sailed past Portland Bill, the dream is still hazily there in the owner’s mind. I guess it’s part of what keeps us interested in sailing – the promise of the far-flung horizon.

The Boréal 55 is a dangerous yacht because it makes those distant pipe dreams far too attainable. She is one of a growing fleet of rugged aluminium boats tailored for the kind of adventure cruising that could just as easily take in picking your way through ice fields or booming before the trades.

Boréal is based in the pretty French town of Tréguier in north Brittany, but was actually the brainchild of Belgian sailor Jean-François Delvoye. Initially, he was simply trying to build his own dream boat, distilling everything he had learnt from six years of bluewater cruising with his family. But the resulting Boréal 50 proved so popular that he ended up going into the boatbuilding business. The Boréal 52 was the natural development of the 50 and was launched in 2014 to great acclaim, scooping the European Yacht of the Year in the bluewater cruising category. The 55 I tested is essentially the same boat with a sugar scoop stern instead of a transom.

Rugged good looks

Like many yachts in this genre, the Boréal 55 boasts a centreboard and aluminium construction of both hull and deck. Double-chined and not as beamy aft as many contemporary designs, she is incredibly solidly built: the bottom plates are 12mm-thick aluminium and her lower chine is 8mm. She features a specially reinforced sacrificial forefoot and a watertight collision bulkhead behind this – handy for ice or sunken containers. Understandably, her displacement is a healthy 15 tonnes.

One look at the rugged exterior of the 55 leaves you in no doubt about what she has been designed for. Those brushed aluminium topsides and hard angles all speak of utilitarianism, while the solid aluminium sprayhood fairly yells practicality. Yet for all that, she’s not bad looking, with a certain power and purpose at rest. I find myself dreaming of Patagonia and have to give myself a stern ticking off when no one is looking.

Step aboard and there is an instant feel of solidity. The stanchions, for example, are welded right through to the hull giving absolutely no flex (not so handy if you bend one). This is a yacht designed to take a beating if required. The cockpit is uncluttered and the mainsheet is sited out of the way on top of the coachroof. There is a single steering pedestal – a feature that is becoming unusual on any yacht over 35ft these days – and a simply huge lazarette. I am told that this was designed for the express purpose of accommodating a 125cc motorbike. I can only say that this rather novel design brief has been accomplished. You could pretty much live in there.

I was initially surprised at how open the cockpit was for a serious bluewater cruiser; the large deck space aft clad in synthetic teak looked more suited to Med sunbathing. Yet there is a well sheltered and secure space just abaft the doghouse and once I was ushered in through the watertight door I fully began to understand how secure you could feel in a storm. Seated in a comfortable chair with a large chart table in front of you, there is an excellent all-round view and you can happily control the yacht using the autopilot. Storm-tossed night watches need never be quite such an ordeal again.

The side decks have a generous amount of non-skid and are open and clear with a plethora of good handholds. Up at the mast is another clever touch: rather than siting the anchor windlass at the bow, it is situated just forward of the mast with the anchor chain led back from the bow and stored in a locker by the mast step. When you have a serious bluewater yacht, you need large amounts of anchor chain and this keeps all that weight nice and central.

The hydraulic windlass can also be used for raising the mainsail, although the halyard goes back to the cockpit for raising in the usual way. At the bow is a very sturdy roller/bowsprit for setting a Code 0 or gennaker.

Thoughtful interior

So far so good, but I headed below with some trepidation. These French go-anywhere yachts can have the sort of stark interiors that make you want to go anywhere other than down below. I was therefore pleasantly surprised by how civilised the Boréal was.

The deck saloon arrangement let in plenty of light and the standard of finish was good. The galley was sited to starboard with the centreboard case offering a good bracing point.

The saloon area to port is raised up to give you the benefit of the view, and could comfortably accommodate eight. That said, the yacht felt relatively small for a 55-footer and this can partly be explained by the fact that she is thoroughly insulated with 80mm polystyrene throughout – she even features double glazing to ensure you are cool in the tropics and warm in the high latitudes.

Again, there are a number of thoughtful little touches on show: a good example being when you turn on a light, it initially comes on in red mode, so your night vision is not impaired.

Forward of the galley is a workshop area, although on this yacht it had been turned into an office – all Boréals are semi-custom. There is also a Refleks diesel stove here, which will ensure a cosy cabin in cold climes.

I could easily picture myself toasting my toes by this while bound for Patagonia. The owner’s cabin is forward and is well appointed with its own ensuite heads and shower.

There is also space for a washing machine here.

Aft, there are two more berths with a communal heads/shower unit. There is the option to use one of these berths purely for storage or have bunk beds. Engine access is also excellent.

Patagonia bound?

Interior thoroughly inspected, it was time to go sailing. For those unfamiliar with Treguier, the marina is a tight one, situated in a narrow bottleneck of an estuary with exceptionally strong tides. To complicate matters, the breeze was fresh and gusty.

This particular 55 had bow and stern thrusters which I had initially tutted at, but I must admit they were a blessing.

Two of my biggest gripes actually concern the engine. First, the control panel for firing it up was in the pilot house, while I generally prefer to have it within reach of the helmsman. Second, the throttle was one of those weird ones where you have to lift the top of the lever up to drop it into gear – just the kind of thing to screw you over in a tight situation.

The Boréal has a 75hp Volvo and an 879lt fuel tank in the keel core, with the option of two extra 378l tanks giving her a phenomenal range. She also carries 1,470lt of fresh water. There are special water catchers built into the lazy jacks to further boost your supplies. These kinds of things are important when you are headed to Patagonia which, in my imagination at least, we were.

Out in the shallows of the river, the Boréal’s draught of 1.14m with the centreboard up became a real asset. It is raised on a hydraulic ram and there is the option of a push-button control in the cockpit, which certainly could be handy around the rock-strewn coast of Brittany. Once clear of the estuary, we put up and reefed the mainsail with the aid of the anchor winch, which sounds odd, but worked very well. The 55 is cutter rigged with a 9/10ths fractional rig and we had taken the precaution of reefing the main. The conditions were pretty wild, to be fair, with a 20-25kts breeze blowing and a hefty swell rolling in. I had spent the previous week skippering a particularly beautiful deep keel cruiser/racer which I’m ashamed to confess I had fallen in love with. I was interested to see how the shallow draught centreboarder contrasted. Not too badly was the answer. She wasn’t quite so well mannered upwind and had a propensity to gripe somewhat in the gusts, but this was natural given the conditions.

This tendency was also tempered by an interesting innovation: Jean Francois was adamant he wanted a single rudder on a skeg for the strength and protection this configuration affords. The problem here is that, with this hull shape, twin rudders offer a good deal of extra grip. The solution has been the addition of two small daggerboards either side of the main rudder. Once lowered when on the wind, they immediately steadied the yacht down. Running with the wind, they also mean you can completely retract the main centreboard and retain good control of the yacht. It’s a clever touch that saves precious power with your autohelm on a long voyage.

At 15,000kg, the Boréal is no lightweight flier and this was to her benefit in the conditions, as she sliced to windward with no slamming, making an easy 7kt plus at 40 degrees or so off the wind. I am assured that she is also pretty obliging in light airs, but will have to take their word for that. Off the wind she was impeccably mannered and on a beam reach she got easily into her groove and stayed there, hitting 8kt-plus. Suddenly the Atlantic seemed to beckon.

When Boréal set about designing the 52 and 55 it gave itself the unenviable design brief of ‘a ballasted boat with a centreboard going to windward, without bashing into the waves and with a soft helm’. Now, that is a challenge but one that the company has risen to admirably. Delvoye’s deep understanding of a bluewater cruising sailor’s requirements shines through in his design, with all sorts of little touches here and there adding up to a winning combination.

The interior is also a huge improvement on many of the previous go-anywhere aluminium boats which seemed to see the tag as an excuse to be spartan below. Not so the Boréal; the fit and finish is excellent and the feel is light but cosy.

My only real question mark applies to any yacht in this genre: I understand that a centreboard and shallow draught is mighty handy when coastal cruising – be that in Patagonia or Poole – but is a deep hull form or even long keel not better suited to the wilds of the Roaring Forties?

Performance: 4/5 Comfort: 4/5 Bluewater 5/5

THE SPEC LOA: 53ft 8in (16.4m) LWL: 45ft 3in (13.8m) Beam: 15ft 3in (4.7m) Draught (board up): 3ft 9in (1.1m) (board down): 10ft 3in (3.1m) Displacement: 15,000kg (33,070lb) Engine: Volvo D2-75 (75hp) Sail area: 130m² (1,400sqft)

PERFORMANCE AVS: 120° Sail area/displacement: 22 Displacement/LWL: 153

PRICE Base price: £565,000 As tested: £719,000 boreal-yachts.com

Insure this yacht with Craftinsure from £2,288.25.

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BOREAL 44/47: A Bulletproof Aluminum Centerboard Cruiser for High and Low Latitudes

It says something of the nature of these boats that my initial correspondence with Jean-François Eeman (see photo up top), managing director of Boréal Yachts , regarding a visit to their yard, was interrupted for a month while he and his family took off on a cruise to Antarctica. On a Boréal, of course. Indeed, Eeman’s boat was the first Boréal 44 ever built, the ultimate product of a chance encounter on a dock in Ushuaia, Argentina, between Eeman and another Jean-François, surname Delvoye, a designer and builder with many bluewater miles under his belt who had long been nursing an idea for an ideal cruising vessel.

The basic concept here is not at all unusual. Aluminum bluewater centerboard boats, though not often found in North America, have long been a staple of the French cruising scene. Major French builders Garcia and Alubat have focused primarily on boats like this for decades, and several smaller builders have followed in their wake. Boréal, barely ten years old, is the rising star on the scene, thanks to a focus on build quality that rivals that of the early Garcias and also to some unique design features that take the concept to a new level.

I have long been interested in boats like this and have sailed passages both on an older Garcia Passoa 47 and on Jimmy Cornell’s new Garcia 45 . I am strongly prejudiced in favor of aluminum construction (for lightness, strength, and lack of cosmetic maintenance it can’t be beat; see, e.g., my current boat Lunacy ) and my experience has taught me these centerboard designs are reasonably fast (particularly off the wind in strong conditions), very seaworthy, and almost supernaturally comfortable for monohulls. This last attribute I credit to their ballast being situated in the bilges of the hull, rather than low down in a fixed keel; my theory being that on any ballasted boat it is the ballast that moves least (it serving as the fulcrum of the lever, as it were), and thus the closer you are to the ballast the more comfortable you will be.

So I was looking very forward to visiting the Boréal yard in Brittany, outside the little town of Tréguier, after I finished up my visit with Clare and Edward Allcard in Andorra the week before last.

A Boréal 47 at rest on a dock in Tréguier. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, of course, but I think these are exceptionally attractive boats. I particularly like the big flush deck forward of the mast and the way the doghouse is neatly grafted on to the cabinhouse

Two guys named Jean-François (who are actually Belgian, not French). That’s Eeman on the left and Delvoye on the right. They’ve both been there and done that when it comes to high-latitude sailing. The latter first conceived of the prototype Boréal while cruising with his family on a steel boat he built himself

The bones of the beast. The hull form, you’ll note, features hard chines, which both simplify construction and increase form stability

Pieces of the puzzle. All the metal used is high-quality 5083 and 5086 H111 alloy from Norway (none of that cheap crap from China). Pieces are laser-cut on a CNC machine offsite and are delivered to the plant ready to be welded in place. Plate thickness varies throughout the boat, from 10mm in the bottom and keel area decreasing to 4mm in the deck, coachroof, and cockpit

This massive solid piece of metal forms the bottom of the stem and is the battering ram that leads the way in any forward-motion collision. Strength and watertight integrity is further enhanced with full collision bulkheads both forward and aft

The transom on a 44. The panel in the middle folds down to serve as a small boarding and swim platform. Plate thickness in the transom is 6mm

The transom skirt on a 47, which is otherwise identical to the 44. Note the solid lengths of pipe that make up the hull-deck joint. This enhances the joint’s structural integrity and is also more aesthetically pleasing than a hard corner. Those vertical exterior frame pieces you see tacked on to either side of the transom are temporarily installed to keep the panel from distorting as it is welded in place

The vertical core of the boat. The massive I-beam is the compression post for the deck-stepped mast, with the centerboard trunk behind it. That big tall box forward of the post is the chain locker for the anchor rode, which is brought aft from the bow through a heavy pipe that forms the spine of the forward deck framing. The pipe is lined with plastic so as to isolate the steel chain running through it

The water tanks are laid out either side of the centerboard trunk and will be coated inside with food-quality paint. This ensures water potability and also saves the tank interior from coming in contact with any chlorine in the water, which can cause corrosion in aluminum welds. The fuel tanks are situated fore and aft of the centerboard trunk, over the ballast compartments, which contain large lead pigs sealed in resin. End result: everything heavy in the boat (including the house batteries, which are located either side of the aft end of the centerboard trunk) is concentrated low down in the middle of the hull. This boosts performance and stability and reduces pitching motion

All below-the-water through-hull fittings are stand-pipes that reach up above the waterline. Seacocks are fitted on top of these and can be removed and serviced with the boat in the water

The vents for all tanks are routed to the top of the forward end of the centerboard trunk

The centerboard itself is also aluminum and is hollow. It is shaped as a NACA foil to enhance windward performance

The structure is insulated with panels of polystyrene foam above the waterline. The underlying metal is coated with sprayed-on cork (see, for example, the structural knee in the foreground here) and cracks and crevices are filled with blown foam to eliminate any possibility of condensation forming behind or around the insulation panels

After touring the plant I had a chance to go for a sail on a finished boat, which you can see in profile in the drawing above. As is typical on these centerboard boats, the rig is relatively short to compensate for the ballast being secured in the bilges rather than lower down in a keel. The boat also features what might be called a double-headsail rig, as opposed to a true cutter rig. Either the full genoa is flown, or the smaller staysail (which is self-tacking, sheeted to an athwartship traveler on the foredeck), but not both simultaneously.

You’ll note too the rudder is quite shallow, which allows the boat to be beached when the centerboard is up. There is but one rudder on the boat’s centerline lined up behind the massive keel box, as opposed to twin rudders on either side, which are vulnerable to collision threats. To help enhance the boat’s directional stability there are instead a pair of offset aft daggerboards, built of epoxy composite rather than aluminum, so they can break away if struck by anything without damaging the structure of the boat.

In sailing the boat I noticed immediately that the steering was not as precise and responsive as on a typical modern boat with a high-aspect spade rudder. Consequently I had a tendency to oversteer at first, until I clued into the secret of the daggerboards. Sailing on the wind you play the leeward board and can dial in just as much lee or weather helm as you want. Or you can set the board for a perfectly neutral helm, in which case you needn’t touch the wheel at all, and the boat will happily sail itself for as long as the wind strength remains the same.

The board, which is of course foil-shaped, also helps the boat point higher. Our closehauled sailing angles were quite good for a boat of this type, but not terribly impressive by modern keel-boat standards. Sailing in a 15- to 20-knot breeze the boat was fully powered up at a 45-degree apparent wind angle and could pinch to about 40 degrees at the cost of about a knot of boatspeed. Our speed overall was good, running 6-8 knots depending on the wind strength. I know from experience that the highest speeds on boats like this are attained surfing off the wind in a strong breeze with the centerboard up and and an aft daggerboard (or boards) down. In such conditions I would expect to see some nice spikes into the mid-teens.

What most impressed me was how stable the boat was. We had a fairly steady and moderate wind sailing out the mouth of the Tréguier River, but as we closed the shore again we saw sudden dramatic gusts as high as 29 knots. We were flying the full mainsail and genoa (about 130 percent, I’d say) and none of these gusts engendered any panic or even very extreme heeling angles. A couple of times we had to ease the mainsheet to keep the boat from rounding up, but otherwise the boat’s motion was soft and manageable.

Sailing back up the river we rolled up the genoa and deployed the staysail and had fun playing the intermittent gusts and catspaws the five miles back to town. Even at very slow speeds the boat was easy to control. Later, after we stowed the sails, I tried backing down under power. Again, the rudder didn’t bite as crisply as a deep high-aspect rudder would, but once the boat got moving she was perfectly maneuverable.

As for the boat’s interior, a glance at the accommodations plan doesn’t reveal anything out of the ordinary. This is the standard three-stateroom layout (two aft, one forward) found on most modern boats, with the galley to starboard in the middle of the boat opposite a raised saloon dinette. The interior’s most appealing feature, a nifty nav desk and seat in the doghouse just forward of the cockpit, isn’t readily apparent in the drawing.

The view from the cockpit. In the doghouse just behind that inspiringly bulletproof companionway door you’ll find the nav station. The mainsheet is double-ended and can be controlled from either side of the wheel. The winches are positioned so that the two sets of sheets for the mainsail and genoa can be led to either winch, per your preference. (The staysail is controlled with a single line.) The splayed-out web of the multi-part mainsheet on the roof of the doghouse is surprisingly effective. By hauling in on the windward side of the sheet, you can easily bring to boom to centerline, as seen here

Inside the doghouse. The concave saddle nav seat keeps you tucked in place when the boat is heeled, and the wrap-around view of the outside world allows you to comfortably keep watch here in nasty weather

In the standard deck layout the only line led aft is the vang control. Everything else is handled at the mast, which personally is the way I like it. More controls can be led aft to the cockpit if you want

The anchor windlass is in the middle of the boat, right over the midship chain locker, and can also be used to hoist the mainsail. To manage the windlass from the bow while deploying or recovering your anchor you’ll need a wireless hand-control

The back edge of the doghouse roof incorporates a narrow full-breadth wind-scoop that helps ventilate the aft cabins

The saloon settees and table are raised enough that you can see easily out the cabinhouse windows. Note the Refleks diesel heating stove to the left of the galley. This circulates hot water through radiators in the staterooms

You can order the aft cabins with a pair of split single berths like this, or with a flat double berth. As you can see here, light streams in from both sides

The spacious master stateroom forward features an island double berth on centerline. The mattress is split so you set up a lee-cloth in the middle while underway

A 55-hp Volvo or Nanni diesel (as seen here) is standard, or you can upgrade to 75-hp. Access to the engine is good, and there is room in the systems space for both a genset and watermaker

The day after my plant tour and test-sail I attended the launching of a new Boréal 47. Here you see a member of the launch crew whipping a messenger line on to one of the centerboard control lines, which run up inside the mast and are controlled with a halyard winch. Alternatively, you can order the boat with hydraulic centerboard controls

The boat was launched with the lid of the centerboard trunk removed, which afforded this unique view

Below you’ll find some numbers to ponder. Studying them myself, I’m struck by how similar they are to the Garcia Passoa I mentioned earlier .

Specifications

LOA 45’3” (without scoop transom) LWL 38’2” Beam 14’1” Draft -Board up 3’3” -Board down 8’1” Displacement (lightship) 26,638 lbs. Ballast 8,377 lbs. Sail area 1,076 sq.ft. Fuel 158 gal. Water 200 gal.

Base price -Boréal 44 €417,500 -Boréal 47 €453,000

Postscript: While driving from Andorra to Brittany I stopped and spent the night in La Rochelle. This gave me a chance to see Bernard Moitessier’s famous steel ketch Joshua (see image above), which is kept at the marine musueum there. I have always wanted to do this! This is the metal boat that began the French fascination with metal boats. (See this post here to find out how Moitessier really lost her .)

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Great article with excellent links to relevant sites. Cheers – once again you have provided in-depth and informative material.

Yes, a great article. Grand to see you raving, so enthusiastic, about a boat!

Great read. I like this boat. It reminds me of a space ship in that it is designed to protect it’s inhabitants from the extreme conditions at the poles of the earth.

and so pretty!

Thanks for the great photos. Quite a boat…built like a tank. Last year on a Carib charter i ran into both a Boreal and an Allures. For looks I liked the Allures better and had a hard time loving the chines on the Boreal, but for rugged voyaging the pilot house in the Boreal looks strong. How did the Boreal compare to the Jimmy Cornell boat, in you estimation?

Sweet yacht. I’ve been looking over Alubats for years…one day!

@Jeff Bander: That’s a great question. The boats have a good deal in common. The Garcia 45, for example, also has its chain locker in the middle of the boat. And both boats have forward and aft collision bulkheads, a very nice security feature. One thing I don’t like about the Garcia is the coachroof is not aluminum but glass. I’d rather have an all aluminum structure. The Garcia has twin rudders, thus has more precise steering, but the rudders are more vulnerable. The Garcia has its rather large nav station in the saloon, and its saloon consequently feels much more cramped than the Boreal’s. The Garcia’s cockpit is a little larger and easier to move around in and makes a better social space, but sightlines forward are not as good as on the Boreal. Some of the Garcia’s line runs also have a lot of friction in them, particularly the mainsail controls. The Garcia has a fractional rig with sweptback spreaders; the Boreal has a more conservative masthead rig with flat spreaders and forward and aft lower shrouds. I personally prefer the latter, as I think it’s stronger and you can ease out the main further when sailing off the wind, but others may prefer the more modern rig.

Cant wait to buy one, all your articles are just fabulous…!!

Hi Charlie, Best series of Boreal construction photos I’ve see— thanks. Joshua was moored in the slip next to me in Port Townsend after she was salvaged. And an old girl friend was instrumental in convincing Bernard Moitessier to come to California, the voyage that eventually led to the loss of Joshua. Small world.

The best article I have read about Boreal so far. thanks

Best Midsize Cruiser 44-47 Feet

By Herb McCormick
Updated: December 12, 2017

Winner: Boreal 47

A tightly knit division of three yachts, including a pair of aluminum boats from France (the Allures 45.9 and the Boreal 47) and a center-cockpit design from the United Kingdom (the Gunfleet 43), the Best Midsize Cruiser 44 to 47 Feet class not only delivered a worthy category winner, it also produced the top overall boat for 2018.

Launched in 2012 by Richard Matthews, formerly the head of Oyster Yachts, and named for a set of shoals near Norfolk in the United Kingdom, the Gunfleet yard exemplifies the highest standards of British boatbuilding. Designed by Tony Castro, the Gunfleet 43 (which actually measures in at 44 feet 1 inch) sports twin rudders and was, in the words of judge Bill Bolin, “interesting and impressive.”

“It was one of the first boats we tested that was Intracoastal friendly, with an air draft (mast height) that would permit you to go up and down the ICW, which is what an awful lot of cruisers want to do,” he said.

Technical judge Ed Sherman elaborated on the boat. “They did a lot in 43 feet,” he said. “Systems-wise, they did a fine job of executing most things at a level of expected British quality, which is fairly high. I rate the wiring and systems as quite good. They were a little bit innovative with a CZone digital switching and monitoring network. The design brief was for maximum comfort for a couple, and I can certainly see a couple being able to run this boat without any extra bodies aboard. It’s got a retractable side-power bow thruster, which seems to be a trend. There’s not only the advantage of presenting a little better hydrodynamic shape and form up front on the boat, you actually get a bow thruster that will be quite effective.”

Regarding the Allures 45.9, which features a solent rig, twin rudders and a centerboard, Bolin said, “It’s an aluminum-hull boat with a fiberglass deck, so there’s a little bit of a hybrid there. I think the boat was well-done. Once the aluminum was in, they sprayed it with cork for sound insulation and added neoprene between the stringers. During our sea trials I went down below, expecting to hear the bow wave, but there was very little, if any, noise down there. It was just very quiet, which kind of surprised me.

“One of the clever features I hadn’t seen before was the dedicated outboard-engine storage locker,” he added. “It had a big, heavy engine that you store vertically, with a stern transom door that opened up to allow you to get that in and out pretty easily. I thought that was very nice. So were the line bins, where all the sheets and halyards — all the clutter from the deck and the winches — disappeared below the cockpit sole or into the coamings. They also had probably the nicest anchoring system I saw, with a self-launching Rocna anchor.”

“This was an interesting boat in that it had a mixture of elements that I don’t think we’ve seen blended together before,” said the third BOTY judge, Tim Murphy. “It’s sort of a hybrid between a general cruising boat with an interior like a Jeanneau or Beneteau and an expedition boat. And the centerboard gives you windward performance in the ocean but also shallow draft.”

That left the Boreal 47, yet another aluminum French offering with a centerboard. Test-sailing the cutter-rigged boat, with its self-tending staysail, in nearly 30 knots of breeze was nothing short of a revelation. “The boat lit right up and you got the immediate impression that you were on an ocean-going yacht and you were going to be OK,” said Sherman. “It was just as tight and noise-free as could be.”

“The Boreal was an outstanding boat in every way,” said Bolin. “The shape, manner, looks, build quality, sailing performance — it was very well-thought-out and executed. We tested an awful lot of boats that were going to be great tied up at the dock with a cocktail party going on. This boat is going to be great offshore and going sailing.”

With the centerboard, it was also a versatile boat that can tuck into the shallows and rest and dry out on its own bottom. “You don’t have to put any poles out or anything to hold the boat upright. She’s designed to sit on her own bottom as the water comes out from under you,” said Murphy. “And then if for some reason you come down on a hard spot and the boat rolls, the first chine is at the right angle for the boat to settle at that angle and then she’ll float back. It’s a really interesting feature.

“The Boreal answers a mission that I think is really an important one,” he continued. “It’s a very tricky thing having a boat that has to be good in the deep ocean and is stable, safe, performs well and gives you the miles you want in a sea-kindly way that keeps you rested and going and happy. At the same time, when you get to where you’re going, it’s designed to go into shallow water, where it also thrives. I think the fundamental mission is a very, very good one for our readership, and I think this boat satisfies it very well.”

Murphy’s fellow judges concurred, and when the deliberations were over, they named the Boreal 47 not only the Best Midsize Cruiser 44 to 47 Feet but also Cruising World’s 2018 Boat of the Year.

Other Winners:

Best Midsize Cruiser 40-44 Feet
Best Pocket Cruiser
Best Full-Size Cruiser 50-54 Feet
Best Full-Size Cruiser 54-58 Feet
Best Cruising Catamaran
Best Luxury Cruiser
Most Innovative

More Information

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Jimmy Cornell: Why aluminium centreboarders are ideal for serious explorers

Jimmy Cornell
November 12, 2020

Having covered 100,000 miles in his aluminium centreboarders, Jimmy Cornell explains why he rates them so highly for adventure sailing

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A true exploration yacht: Jimmy Cornell’s Ovni 43 Aventura III in Antarctica

Both Aventura III , an Ovni 43, and Aventura IV , a Garcia Exploration 45, were aluminium centreboarders. Having clocked some 100,000 miles with them, including passages to Antarctica and the North West Passage , I can state unequivocally that for safety as well as convenience, a centreboard is a great advantage on a cruising boat.

In my case, the choice of aluminium for a boat intended for exploring areas off the beaten track was logical, and so was that of a centreboard. One of the main reasons for the latter was to increase my cruising options. The ability to reduce draught instantly is also a safety factor, as it allows access to a protected shallow spot if needing shelter in an emergency. Also, with a flat bottom, the boat can dry out.

Another advantage is that the board can be used for sounding when entering an unfamiliar anchorage, a new meaning for the term ‘sounding board’. While in the North West Passage we hit an uncharted rock quite hard, but the centreboard did its job and swung up, scraped along the top of the rock, then dropped back into its lowered position. The only damage was to my ego, but any other boat would have been in serious trouble!

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Both yachts have integral centreboards, so that when fully raised, the board retracts into the hull. The ballast is also internal, with a ratio to displacement of 32 in both cases, which is similar to that of most modern cruising yachts. This brings considerable performance advantages.

The main role of the board is to provide lift when sailing close-hauled, and to reduce leeway when reaching. With the board fully down Aventura III drew 2.4m, and, when trimmed properly, it could point as high, or almost as high, as most fixed keel cruising boats. With a draught of 2.8m with the board down, Aventura IV performed even better than her predecessor.

To take full advantage of this special feature, a centreboarder needs to be sailed quite differently, both on and off the wind. This is when the centreboard becomes a true asset as it allows the wetted surface to be reduced. The technique is to lift the board gradually as the apparent wind goes past 135°, and continue lifting it up to the point where the board is fully retracted. This is, for me, the greatest advantage as the risk of broaching is virtually eliminated.

Article continues below…

Zero-carbon cruiser: Jimmy Cornell explains his electric multihull project

In 2010 I sold my [Ovni 43] Aventura III and, as I was 70, I felt the time had come…

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Allures 40.9 vs Ovni 400: French aluminium centreboarders go head-to-head

Back in the mid-2000s the niche market for aluminium centreboarders was disrupted by the arrival of a new upstart, Allures…

The absence of a keel to act as a pivot in a potential broaching situation means that the boat does not tend to round up when, in a similar situation, a fixed keeled boat would do just that. This has allowed me to keep the spinnaker up longer than I would have done otherwise.

With the board up, steering the boat in strong winds was easy, as there was no keel to act as a pivot if the person at the helm made a mistake, or a large wave forced the boat into a broach. With a flat bottom and no keel, Aventura III acted just like a large windsurfer, with the rudder having no difficulty keeping the boat on course. Aventura IV has twin rudders so tracked even better and was a joy to helm.

Alloy alternatives

If you are considering an aluminium centreboard, make sure to read our head-to-head test of the Allures 40.9 and Ovni 400 . If neither of those suit, you probably need to go up a level in size and price, to the more semi-custom options offered by shipyards such as Garcia, Boreal or even KM. It is pertinent, however, to note that many of these traditional monohull brands are now branching out into the multihull market too.

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Photo: Morris Adant

Designed in collaboration with Jimmy Cornell to transit the North West Passage, this model set a new rugged standard for mid-size exploration yachts. In inclement weather, watchkeeping can be done from a completely protected position at the forward end of the cockpit, or from the helmstation inside the pilothouse.

Price: €498,000 (ex. VAT)

Boreal 44.2

Boreal is a brand born from the experience of Jean-François Eeman, who spent six years sailing around the world with his four children. The new 44.2 will replace the ten-year-old, award-winning, Boreal 44. It has the same interior as the 47.2 (pictured), but with a single helm and rudder and a more enclosed cockpit.

Price: €485,520 (ex. VAT)

Garcia Explocat 52

Garcia is maintaining its exploration focus with its first catamaran. Once again there is plenty of protection on offer. A hard-top runs almost back to the transom and there is a complete interior navigation station similar to Garcia’s monohulls. The Explocat also has a forward cockpit accessible from the saloon via a watertight door.

Price: €1,159,000 (ex. VAT)

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Vaan is a new brand, which uses recycled and sustainable materials – its first 42ft R4 is due for launch in early 2021. The aluminium hulls are formed from drinks cans, road signs and window frames, it uses cork decks and the upholstery is made from bio fabrics. It’s offered with electric propulsion and an optional regeneration system.

Price: €399,000 (ex. VAT)

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Allures & Ovni catamaran update

Plans to launch the first Allures multihull, the aluminium hulled and glassfibre decked C47.9 (above), have been put on hold due to the success of its sister company’s new Explocat 52.

Ovni’s multihull solution, meanwhile, is the Ovnicat 48, which has been on the drawing board for a couple of years but has yet to be built.

First published in the October 2020 issue of Yachting World.

Aluminum Upgrade: Boreal 55 OC

November 3rd, 2021

I am a big fan of aluminum yachts as you all may know and I do not miss a chance to grab a story on these fantastic boats. Be it a new boat launched by the handful of aluminium yards, a walkthrough in one of these or the chat with a naval architect . Lately I discovered the new Boreal 47.2 which in my eyes is a perfect long haul sailing yacht for serious seafaring – I was right, a few weeks later this very boat was nominated and won the prestigious title “European Yacht of the Year” in her category. Now I´ve found a wonderful Swedish couple on facebook who acquired a Boreal, but one size bigger: Their brand new BUSHPOINT, a Boreal 55 C, has recently been launched and both start a new chapter in sailing. Talking to them was as interesting as I hoped for, what a nice story to hear – with the potential to make you feel envy a bit.

Jeanette and Fredrik, still enchanted by their new boat, tell me that – although being Swedish – they weren´t born into the classic Scandinavian sailing family. In fact, they started their serious sailing “career” back in 2011, not too long ago, by acquiring their certificates and attending sailing courses. The obvious charter-weeks throughout the summers followed and both became addicted to a life at sea. It was in 2015 when they bought their first boat, an Allures 45 and sailed her all the way from Cherbourg to Sweden to finally start their sailing life in 2016. “We see ourselves more as travelers, than sailors. Sailing is a good way to move from one place to the other. This far we have found two people living on a boat, which is a confined space, to be the tricky part, not the sailing.”, says Fredrik and smiles. Let´s see how their story continues.

On aluminium yachts, Allures and Boreal

Lars Reisberg | NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “Why did you guys opt for an aluminum boat in the first place? Have you ever possessed a GRP-yacht and if so, which? When and why did you switch to alloy?”

Jeanette & Fredrik: “Before we really started to look at boats we were sure that it should be a Hallberg-Rassy or a Najad with a center cockpit. However, when we started to seriously look at boats, we stumbled across Allures and Boréal. At that point, aluminum was something we had not considered. Reading up we found that aluminum is very strong and good if you want to feel safe and we understood the beauty of having a shallow draft boat and the rest is, as they say, history.”

NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “Your first boat was an Allures 45 as I can see: When did you buy the boat and what have been the highlights of sailing this yacht?”

Jeanette & Fredrik: “We looked at a Boréal as an option for our first boat but we thought the cockpit was too small and, frankl, we found it was a little bit hardcore for us. We liked the Allures 45 more as we thought her better suited for us. Like we loved the twin wheels and her big cockpit. Our Allures 45 has been a fantastic boat, we shall say, and she has taken care of us very much. Our boat has taken us to so many interesting places! We really like how she behaved downwind with the centerboard up…”

NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “You sold the Allures and your new boat – freshly launched – is BUSHPOINT, a Boreal 55 OC. Why not a bigger Allures, there is a new one available right now? What convinced you that the Boréal would be the better suiting yacht for you?”

Jeanette & Fredrik: “Well, after sailing around for almost five years, we had a little thought that maybe we should move up our boat size a bit. We wanted a size we still could handle safely just the two of us. And by chance in September 2019 we saw that Boréal had made the first OC version of the 55. We called them to hear a little bit more and were told that the first 55 OC was situated right there in Tréguier for one more week. We made a quick trip to Tréguier and … what can I say? We just fell in love. Boréal told us we could have one ready for delivery in May 2021. Talking about Allures: We did not consider another Allures not because we did not like it, it had more to do with us. We had moved on with our sailing plans and after four years in warm climates we were feed up and wanted to go cold. (laughs) Now, with the right boat, we will see if we get the polar bug or find a combination of cold and warm sailing. We think that Boréal cannot be compared with Allures as they cater for different customers. If you want to compage Boréal to other brands, it can be the Garcia I´d say. To be honest, we did not chose the Garcia since we are not fond of the layout. She probably a very good boat though, but: Have you ever been sitting in the doghouse of a Boréal, you just want to stay there!”

On their brand new Boreal 55 OC

NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “Let´s talk about BUSHPOINT in more detail: What are the main characteristics of your new boat? Has your boat some specialties built in by the yard which are custom and not available on standard Boréals?”

Jeanette & Fredrik: “We do not think we have some specialties, remember our boat is only the third 55 OC ever built. However, one thing we have is the air condition-system and it is the first to be put in a boat by Boréal. The beauty with this is that it can also work the other way, as a heat pump, which gives a very nice heat and also dries out the boat, of course only when connected to shore power.”

NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “What do you like most about BUSHPOINT? And what could have been done better by the yard?”

Jeanette & Fredrik: “Oh, that is a difficult question to answer to be honest. Except from the exceptional feeling you get when sailing her, it is probably the doghouse that is so unique and awesome. We also love the good view from down into the saloon, it does not feel like you are descending into the dark, if you understand what we mean. During the building process we felt that it was very good to work with the yard. Our contact-person spoke a very good English which is good for us since we do not speak French. It is a small yard and it really feels like a family, everyone has been very helpful to solve the small issues which occurs when you build a boat.”

Sailing BUSHPOINT as a couple

NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “You are sailing her for some months now, tell me more about “daily” routine when sailing BUSHPOINT – what makes it an ideal cruising boat for a couple? How is work and duty divided between you guys aboard?”

Jeanette & Fredrik: “Oh, is there an ideal cruising boat? There is a saying that the best boat to go cruising with is the one you leave with. The Boréals are very good boats for cursing and exploring, no doubt about that. Of course, you need to like how a boat sails, but it is also very important that you like to live on the boat, since most time will be spent at anchor or in ports. This all is such an individual taste, what you like and what not to like. For us, we think the Boréal 55 OC is as close as we can get to our liking when it comes to sailing living onboard at the moment. Maybe you will find us cruising up and down in the Caribbean in a catamaran when we get older. You never know!”

Jeanette & Fredrik: “Talking of our sailing routine: We have a saying on BUSHPOINT, it goes like that: “There is no “I” in “Team”, isn´t there?” So, when we sail, both of us take the same responsibility, be it the watches, cooking or cleaning. When at anchor or marinas one of us is more interested in and like the maintenance part of the sailing life style, like oil changes and things that needs to be repaired. We always study and discuss the weather, do the route planning and so forth. However there is only one captain on the ship and a good captain listens to the crew.”

NO FRILLS SAILING.com: “This is how it should be, indeed. Nice to hear that! Tell me, what are you currently doing with the boat and what are your plans for future trips aboard BUSHPOINT?”

Jeanette & Fredrik: “Right now as we are talking, we are France readying our boat. We will be shortly casting off and our first stop will be the Island of Guernsey. We go there to fill up our Diesel as we have heard it is half the usual price there. (laughs) after that the plan is to go to the United Kingdom and up to Scotland for cruising and shakedown. For spring 2022 we plan to head over to Norway and the big goal for summer will be Spitsbergen. But, as you may know, sailing plans are written in the sand at low tide …”

Such a pleasure talking to you guys! I wish you and BUSHPOINT fair winds and all the best. I hope we can have a chat next year and I am looking forward to hearing from your adventures and seeing some incredible new pictures. All the best, Jeanette and Fredrik!

You may also be interested in reading these articles too:

Aboard Boreal 47 SIR ERNST to the farthest South of our planet

At Allures/Garcia yard in Cherbourg

Talking the new Cigale 16 with Marc Lombard

Attainable Adventure Cruising

The Offshore Voyaging Reference Site

Boréal 47—An Owner’s Experience

Eleven years ago, as we got back into sailing on a 35′ Cape George Cutter, we hatched a plan to cast off the lines and head for the high latitudes.

Our preparations included sailing to meet John and Phyllis to talk “ideal boat”, reading this website, taking a few courses, and stretching ourselves a bit further on our sailing vacations each summer. We also started thinking about a new and bigger boat.

On John’s recommendation, we ended up visiting the Boréal yard in France and going for a sail. Soon after, we hired Colin (saving us a lot of time, money, and hassle) to help us draft our specifications and navigate the process of having a boat built on another continent.

Jump ahead a few years, we have cast off from our prior life, and now have 23,000 nautical miles, over the last 21 months, under the keel of Sila , our Boréal 47.

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More Articles From Boréal 44/47:

Boréal Sailboats–An Introduction
A Boat Designed For The High Latitudes
Boréal 44 Design
Test Sail On A Boréal 44
John and Phyllis Visit Boréal
A Simpler Modern Boat

Hello Chis & Molly. First of all I’m a first time commenter so…… We, my partner & I are off to France next month to look in the final stage of making a choice between two yacht makers. Simply your artical is purely inspirational towards our goal for me! I have been following this website for over 12 months now and am finding it invaluable! Good on you for living the dream. Good on you for sharing your story with us. Maybe in in the future we might see you moored in a small cove. Both yacht breeds we are looking at are swing centre boards. One a 48 the other a 52. Wood you be apprehensive about a 52 ( to big ).? It is just that so far anything less than 50 seems a bit cramed. Also took on board about your low freeboard as a big plus! Best regards Ausi Al

Alan – Thanks for your comments and we look forward to crossing paths in a lonley anchorage. Reguarding size – a rather circular debate with benefits and disadvantages on both sides of the equation. For us, we wanted simple boat systems – slab reefing at the mast, no generator, no bow thruster, no powereed winches (except the windlass) and so the high forties in length became the practical maximum for us. Bigger is certianly possible (see Morgans Cloud) but it is not easy to get it right and the cost increase is not linear. – Christopher

On the size question, there is a lot to that. For example Christopher & Molly’s boat is really a 44 foot boat with a sugar scoop stern added. The key point being that when comparing boat size it’s important to zero in on displacement, not overall length. More in this chapter .

Our own boat at 48,000 pounds is actually double the size of the Boreal 47. The interesting point is that even coming from a much larger boat, Phyllis and I determined that we would be perfectly happy living on a Boreal 44 . And in fact, had the boat existed before we did the extensive refit on our boat, we probably would have bought a Boreal 47 instead.

Another interesting point is that to me what one gains with a larger boat has almost nothing to do with additional accommodation. To us the benefits of our boat’s size are speed, fuel range, and better access to equipment (walk in engine room). That must be balanced against cost.

The other interesting thing is that it my experience up to about 25 tons there is very little difference in handling ease with a bigger boat, even though like C&M we have no rig automation. Sure the loads are larger, but that’s at least partially offset by having a larger and more stable platform to work on. Of course that all presupposes good sail handling systems.

Hi Alan, I would curious to know which boats you are considering. If I may ask : Is the Boréal on your short list ? Will we get the chance to show you step after step how we build a Boréal and what them so different from all other production boats ?

About size : Good points from Christopher and John. A few additonal elements : – On handling : I do agree with John there is no much difference in handling a bigger boat. The first navigations (read harbour manoeuvres) you are a bit impressed by each boat which is the bigger than the one you are used to. But very soon, you adapt. – Even when comparing two boats of the same size there might be lots of differences in volum inside… For eg. on a Boréal we loose on each side and one the ceiling 8 cm which is the tickness of the insulation… So on a polyester boat of the same width you will win 16 cm, which is a lot…

Jean-François

Hi Jean-François,

Good point on the volume losses on aluminium boats. We have the same on out boat from insulation. Also the structural members take up a lot of room in the lockers on our boat, particularly the ring frames that take the rig loads. But to me I think this is a good thing since it stops us from filling the boat up with too much heavy junk!

On handling, I agree. When I first bought my 45 foot boat I was scared of docking her and when I bought our 56 boat I was terrified , but now I actually enjoy handling her in close quarters.

I went from being a non-sailor to buying a 33 footer, the docking and indeed the handling of which gave me pause. I actually learned to sail on a 27-footer on race nights…my own boat seemed huge. But my father-in-law, a lifelong sailor himself and a boat designer, pointed out that 10 meters of boat reacted more slowly than a smaller, more tender vessel, and if I dinged the hull a bit in the process, I was less likely to do damage, or at least less damage. So it came to pass.

With the 16 tonne steel boat we also have, however, I am very conscious that mistakes are far more likely to damage other boats and infrastructure than ourselves (paint and pounding out the odd dent are the remedies there), so I’ve put in hours in close maneuvering under engine to learn the boat’s tendencies in terms of prop walk, windage and stopping distance. Boat handling is not a static thing: if you don’t seek out all conditions in which you might find yourself in a tight spot, including ones that call for springs and warps (I hardly ever see the use of a warp, even when it’s called for), you are courting trouble.

90% of your review applies also to our Garcia Passoa 47. We think it is a great boat, and can easily support your enthusiasm for the Boreal. We have seen a couple of Boreal’s and are very impressed with them. Boreal’s hard dodger-cum-pilothouse is great. Wish we had one. Concerning you paint problem, it would have bee much better to leave the gunwales and all the complex parts of the deck unpainted, as you did with the topsides. We painted our decks almost as one sticks on Treadmaster, that is with a margin about 25mm wide round everything on deck that is not flat. You can see some boat photos on our web site at http://www.mccubbin.ca Our deck paint started to need significant maintenance after 6 years. It is relatively easy to grind off the bad parts since all are flat and easily accessible to disk or orbital sanders. It is only a matter of time till paint on aluminum blisters. One VERY important point is avoid paint on chain plates. I have seen some horrible and rapid corrosion on painted chain plates due to action between the SS toggles on the turnbuckles and the alu. Our unpainted ones are un-corroded after 10 years sailing. Our experience suggests that most of the features of you Boreal are great. Agreed on the advantages of the centreboard, and jealous of your double glazing. Our foam insulation is excellent, and trouble free, as yours should be. I prefer our traditional staysail over the self tacker, but that is a matter of choice. Having some kind of a staysail so that the jib can be rolled up all the way in heavy weather gives a well balanced, low, sailplan.

Boreal has lead ballast. Garcia talked us out of it because if the hull is holed (tough to do, but we did it once) the chemical action between the aluminum, salt water and the painted cast iron that Garcia uses is quite minor. I know from tests that aluminum suffers rapidly when in contact with lead and sea-water. In a flat bottomed boat like the Boreal or our Garcia the higher density of lead lowers the centre of gravity by only a few inches.

Lots of great thoughts, thanks.

Re your concern about chainplates. We have painted chainplates and have no problems after 25 years. The secret is to put the pins in with plenty of Tefgel.

Having said that, I completely agree that a paint set up such as yours with no paint on edges or complex assemblies makes the most sense for an aluminium boat.

Hi Neil, Thank you for your enthusiam for a Boréal.

I’m sure you are very happy with your Milvina and we can understand that. If her position on your site is correct (North of Scotland) then you’ll cross tracks with some other Boréal. The closest to you must by “Sir Ernest” who is co-owned by the Whitebread veteran, Hervé Perrin.

As you say a lot on a boat is matter of choice and compromise but concerning ballast some objective elements have to be restored.

1) The density of lead is 11.340 kilo/cubic m. That is almost the double of cast iron which is +/-6.800 kilo/cunbic m. That means that you only need (a bit more than) half of the space to “place” your lead ballast. That means that you can easily place much more of your ballast close to the gravity point of your boat. It means your ballast is far less spread “all around.” That makes a difference in gravity but also in movements in heavy seas. The impact can not be underestimated…

2) Previous point compares two monolithic ballasts. Very often shipbuilders who do use cast iron ballast moreover do it piling up “blocks” (pig iron). That process with intersection between the blocks implies an additional loss of density. (pretty often up to 20 %)

No need to say that lead is much more expensive than cast iron… No need to say that monolithic ballasts are much more complicate and expensive to make than cast iron pigs…

That is generally speaking.

3) In our case : The Boréal is not flat bottomed. She has a keel box in which the ballasts are lodged. You can see it on some of Christophers’ pictures. This does again contribue to centering the weights and lowering the gravity center : less volum concentrated in a lower position. The ballasts are monolithic, completely incapsulated in a layer of insulating resin which makes sure there is no contact between aluminium and ballast. (additional adavantage : when you dry out you do not rest on the bottom plate but on a much smaller and much more solid keelbox).

Small (?) differences which can only sum up !

Jean-François EEMAN, Managing Director Boréal

Neil – Thanks for your great comments re paint detailis. As John noted, we too have had great luck with Tef-Gel. Our experience of the boats stability would affirm Jean-François comments, we are amazed how stiff Sila is for a boat with no big mass at the bottom of keel – we have had plenty of hearty gusts and never felt on the verge of being knocked down, etc… – Christopher

Further to the steel or lead discussion. I’m surprised that Garcia would say that the chances of galvanic action with the aluminum hull are less with steel than lead.

I just looked up the galvanic table and lead is closer to aluminium than either steel or iron. That would seem to indicate that galvanic action would be worse with cast iron not better?

Hello Chris and Molly, also Jean- Francois and John. I am a first time commenter here as well. Firstly Chris Molly Porter and Jack Rabbit, I have followed your journey and loved your site, well done on your travels and what you have accomplished. Thank you Chris for taking time to write this report on Silva. I have so many questions for you but will get to them one day. Jean-Francois and Boreal, man what a boat. I cannot wait to order mine from you. Look out for my email to you. I have followed every Boreal I can, Steve on RC Louise and Vast and finally to John and Phyllis thank you for your site and introducing me to Boreal.

Dear Dirk, Thank you for nice message. We’ll look out for your mail and we will be happy to welcome you here at the yard . Meanwhile don’t hesitate to ask all questions you might have. Two questions : where are you from ? Wha tis your project ?

Dirk, Some other Boréal onwers have a Facebook page on which you can follow them… We try to relay their information on our facebook page. An interesting one is Matt Chauvel’s… He is sailing singlehanded with his dog. His last crossing was from Puerto Williams (Chile) to Cape Town with a stopover in Gough Island (!) .

There is also the site of “SIR ERNST”. http://www.sir-ernst.net/ In French, but if you go to their media page you will find some You Tube movies… “SIR ERNST” belongs to three co-owners. One of them is Hervé Perrin who raced in the Whitbread and won dual handed the first Québec Saint-Malo race… Very experienced and nice people !

Dirk – Glad you like the report. I am happy to answer more questions (Jean-François can give you my email or post a comment with your email on our blog) although I might be slow to respond in the coming months. The Boreal Boats really are quite good if not amzing – all depending on what you want to do. – Christopher

Hi Christopher,

Thank you for a very informative article, my admiration and desire for these boats continues to grow.

You made a comment regarding the heat in the doghouse in the tropics, I have a suggestion that may alleviate/solve the issue: Try some UV/Sun protection film. There are various types and grades available but you can expect to cut out up to 75 to 80% of the heat ingress and up to 99% of UV radiation entering via the windows. Many retail outlets use these films to reduce heat (saving on air conditioning cost) and protect merchandise/furniture from fading.

The film is usually self adhesive and totally removable leaving clean glass on removal, so the process is totally reversible. The only gotcha is if the glass has a compound curve as that would make the film very tricky to stick on. which to my eye does not seem to be the case. Some film types produce a mirror effect on the inside when the interior ambient light is much brighter than the outside you want to avoid these types for obvious reasons.

The downside is that the doghouse will be a little darker but not by much.

Best Regards & Fair Winds

Hi Christopher

As somebody with a Boreal 47 currently being built – the hull is nearly complete as of today – I read your comments with more than a little interest! I have already asked jean-Francois to add a hatch in the roof of the doghouse to alleviate some of the heat build-up.

Can I ask about your power-generation set-up and how it works for you? There are so many combinations of alternator, generator, solar, wind, towed that I’ve found myself going round in circles trying to decide the best option. Some feedback form real life would be helpful.

I have never had a boat with a decent heater before – certainly not radiators in the cabins. How often have you used the heater and radiators? Have they made life more comfortable and what about condensation?

On our Boreal 44 we have 200 watts of solar, wind power and most importantly a prop shaft generator. When sailing at 5 knots we generate from the prop shaft generator alone about 5 to 6 amps but at 8 knots which you will easily reach much of the time we generate much closer to 18 to 20 amps. So while on passage with good wind, sun and speed we often generate close to 40 amps of power. We crossed the Atlantic at 100 percent of power the entire 19 day trip. We will add 200 watts more of solar this season before heading for the S. Pacific. We found at anchor for long periods of time in Panama that as the rainy season comes along and the skies become more cloudy plus the wind drops we needed more solar. I’m pretty sure as we reach the deep western Pacific and similiar conditions as Panama with 400 watts of solar we will not have to run the engine, something we hate to do. We would rather pull anchor and go for a nice 2 or 3 hour sail and have the prop shaft generator store power than run the engine. Cheers Steve and Tracy.

Rob – We have no refrigeration system and no water maker so our power demand is overall very low which changes the math. Demand side is NKE auto-pilot (but we have and use a Windpilot self steering unit offshore), basic electronics, and lighting – we run at 4-6 amps daytime and 6-9 amps nighttime. Power side is 200w solar and a superwind wind generator, storage is 520 Ahr in gel cell batteries. I did install a 165A Balmar alternator and smart regulator which I use to downrated the alternator to 75% (extends life), so the alternator puts out a solid 60 amps. We rarely go below 85%, typically don’t plug in at the marina, and have never run the engine only to charge. If we had refrigeration we would need to be pretty careful or add the prop shaft alternator. Hope this helps. Cheers – Christopher

Good move buying a Boreal. As I mentioned elsewhere we have a similar design, (Garcia Passoa 47) and are pleased with it. Boreal was not around when we bought, or it would have been high on our list. One suggestion. Consider asking Boreal to avoid painting gunwale, and all deck fittings, handrails, and other complexities around the deck. They look great when new, but once the paint blisters (typically 5-10 years, but an OVNI beside us is showing blisters after about 3) cleaning up to repaint is VERY difficult and/or expensive. If you look around our site, you can see what we painted. Specifically, the shot of the seal on the ice floe at http://www.mccubbin.ca/Christmas%202014/2014%20Dahlbrebukta.htm shows our deck quite well. On heating, we like our Eberspaecher (=Webasto) air heater well. We think it is better than a hot water one because it pushes hot dry air into the boat, so the air pushed our carries lots of moisture out with it. Hot water radiators just heat. We also have a “bus heater” just like a car heater that gives us free heat from the engine cooling water. It is much simpler to fix than the more complex diesel ones. Ideally the bus heater would draw outside air and heat it, but I could not see an easy way to do that.

Good point on the benafit of drawing outside air into the boat. We have a post on that here and a comparison of heaters here .

I would also agree on your painting recommendations.

Thanks for your comments. The bus heater is a nice way to get some free heat as you motor into the harbor each night I bet. The Boreal’s use the profoundly wonderful and simple Refleks heaters – they are super simple to clean and maintain. They have a combination of radiators, which are quiet, and a few blowers (in the heads) – this means we can dry out five sets of wet slickers in an evening and then if needed have the radiant heat with no noise. The reality for us is that we like a cold boat to sleep, so we often dump the warm (and mosit air) jsut as we go to bed for a cool boat at night and no condensation on the hatches (windows are double pane so they are pretty much alwasy condensation free). We can and have used the heater under-way, in gusty winds it can be hard to light (there are some good tricks), but once lit it is easy to keep going. – Christopher

We decided against films becasue we were not in the tropics all that long, like maximum visibility at night, and found the internal reflective car shields to work well. I’ve heard that Boreal now has an external shade (I assume like you see on so many boats in the carribean) which should also be a good solution. All that said, the film isn’t so hard to deal with and if I was going to be crusingin in a tropical area for a while I might well try it. We fit our internal shades by buying large car window shades and then making a cardboard template on the outside to help us figure out the curves – worked fine. Boreal now also has the option of a small hatch in the doghouse roof, which looks pretty good.

Rob – Re Heat – see my comments below. I am a real fan of the Refleks heaters. We could not have sailed in Chile and South Georgia without heat… or at least we would have been miserable. – Christopher

Hi Christopher and Molly,

In your description of the sail inventory there is no mention of a light air sail. I’m not sure if that’s an omission or if you just go with working sails. Do you carry any light air inventory?

Dave – We have an assymetrical which we have used little and might have been better off with a reacher/blaster/code zero style sail, or nothing at all. I think it really depends on where you are going to sail and if you will really get the colored cloth out and use it. The boat sails great wind and wing and we have done a lot of miles with a poled out Genoa. – Christopher

Christopher,

I fully concur that the asym spinnaker isn’t the best choice for many cruisers, even those engaged in tradewinds cruising. The wind angle range is a bit limited and it can be unwieldy. The “code style” sails are far more functional. On deeper angles they don’t have the performance of a spinnaker but on a cruising boat the measure of success with a light air sail is that it can be up the majority of the time when conditions are light. One of my clients kept fastidious logs and calculated that he used a sail we build 85% of the time between Long Beach and the Marquesas. His passage time was 4 or 5 days shorter than others crossing around the same time.

Here’s what we developed if anyone is curious – https://www.dropbox.com/s/etun86b5y72bwfl/CLASS.pdf?dl=0

A few of questions….

Re the electrical system, is the DC system wired up as a double pole system ? (ie breakers disconnect both +ve and -ve wires supplying a circuit).

What’s the NKE autopilot like vis a vis its a) its performance and b) power consumption. Do you have a Hydraulic ram on board sila ?

Perhaps one for JF… It would be interesting to see performance numbers (a polar diagram) I realize that actual numbers will vary based on many factors such as payload, sea state etc….but its a start.

Regards Patrick

Regaurding the NKE. This is my first autopilot, so I speak not from a wealth of past experience with other units and systems… Our experience is that the NKE has alwasy been strong enough, even in some tough conditions such as off the wind in quartering seas sailing wing and wing. As for power consumption, I say it is low draw because when we are using it while sailing the boat is typically drawing at about 3-4 amps daytime and 5-7 amps at night (this is a broad average WITH our solar panels and wind generator contributing). – Christopher

Hey Patrick,

Thank you for your continuing interst in Boréal.

When we communicate data and performances we like them to be real. Very often when we see theoretical polar diagrams in sailing magazines we know they are “optimized”. We know how to do that but that is not the game we want to play…

Making a real polar diagram is not easy. But Tuesday we launched “Chaman”, the Boréal 55 we built for Dominque Wavre. He has raced 10 times around the world (4 of which single handed, 2 of which with his wife Michèle) and will use his Boréal to sail the 11th time around the world. He has prepared the tools to make a real polar diagram in a professional way. So we will know in a few months…

PS. Yes, Christopher has a hydraulic ram from Lecomble Schmitt. I let him speak about the performances of his pilot.

Jean-Francois,

As a sailmaker, I am perplexed by the fascination for polars on a cruising boat. I don’t think most cruisers understand how polars are used for racing purposes. In real life racing application, if the yacht isn’t meeting the expectations of the polar plot, it’s a signal we have a problem. It could be bad trim or perhaps a piece of seaweed being trailed from the keel. To be successful on the race course, we have to have the boat in optimal trim and proper sail selection 100% of the time. Electronic monitoring will literally ring an alarm if we’re off the pace at all. Even if we wanted to sail like that on a cruising boat, it would be impractical and exhausting unless we carried a large crew.

For evaluating a cruising boat, a more useful measure of performance is average speed over the course of a passage. For a custom boat, or a boat where there are only a few built, polars can provide some reasonably useful data. But in the case of the Boreal, there are enough hulls out sailing that speaking with owners is more useful than a polar chart in my opinion. With few exceptions, cruisers will never be optimized to match polars. And we certainly don’t have the sail inventory on a cruising boat to really get the most out of it. A furling genoa is a massively compromised sail. It’s no match for a “decksweeper” upwind and it’s certainly pathetic in lighter airs off the wind with so much weight. In a moderate breeze on a reach, they are usually least compromised. Cruisers rarely carry more than one light air sail and in some cases none at all.

Reading the experiences of Christopher and Molly is far more instructive than any predictive performance chart. And while I am in no means critical of them, I know if I owned a Boreal 47 that I could reasonably expect perhaps another 20 miles or more per day knowing that the way they sail is a bit different than the way I sail and their sail inventory is different than what I would build for myself.

But beyond just what we can expect for passage times, there is a far more important criteria to consider and that is the comfort level of the boat. I would much rather arrive a bit later with everyone safe and rested than be first to the anchorage with an exhausted crew that never felt fully safe. From what I have seen of the Boreal, it appears to provide an extraordinary of comfort for a voyaging crew. The pilothouse is brilliant and from what I have read from owners the seakeeping capabilities are excellent and the boat doesn’t throw many surprises.

I guess I would have to disagree on the desirability of having good polars available on a cruising boat. We have polars for Morgan’s Cloud —(left over from our racing days and derived from the boat’s IMS rating (surprisingly accurate)—and I find having them really quite useful.

It’s true that I don’t look at them much these days since I know the boat so well, but for an owner of a new to them boat, having polars can be very useful as one learns how to get the best passage speed out of the boat.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that cruisers refer and measure against the polars every moment, as we did when racing, but a quick glance will give one a good idea of how best to get downwind or whether or not to crack off a bit on the wind.

Further, if I were to buy a Boreal, a boat that is very different from anything I have ever sailed, I would be hugely grateful for a full set of battle tested polars like those that JFE referred to.

Also, for those using routing software—not something I advocate for cruisers, but many do— good polars are vital, otherwise the output of the routing software is garbage.

Having said all that, I would certainly agree that a set of polars in the hands of the uninformed will do more harm than good in that they will set unrealistic speed expectations for the short handed crew.

Thanks for your comments. I am certain that a Boreal 47′ could sail more miles per day offshore than we average, we are sailing most of the time with two adults and two kids under 13 years for crew (and I should have said as much in the review above). Couple of other owners have sailed 200+nm days and I don’t doubt it.

I also agree that it is all to easily to focus on potential speed (max one day runs) over long passage mileage averages. The Boreal has more potnetial than we utilize and has excelled in helping us cover a lot of miles over 2 years (27,000nm with about 20,000nm under sail).

We don’t use our asymmetrical much when coastal crusing and offshore we set up the boat for one person to handle everything so we can get enough sleep hence we use it less than we could/should and I do not have enough experince to have a strong opinion. We have had some memorable sails with the asymmetrical flying and I don’t regret having it. Also our route over the last year has been such that we have been in windy places where we have not needed it.

Hi Christopher Molly and Jean Francois,

I would like to ask two questions please.

For Christopher, Molly and Jean Francois: Have you tested if Sila (or other Boreal 47) heaves to well? If yes would you please describe conditions?

For Jean Francois: It is my understanding that the bathing platform is not incorporated into the waterline. One would assume there would have been certain advantages in doing so such as increased waterline length, loading ability etc without much increasing cost. Can you please elaborate a bit on the pros and cons of these two different configurations?

Thank you Nicolas

Hi Nicolas,

Neither Jean-François Delvoye, neither myself have ever had to heave with a Boréal ” for real”. I believe that Matt from Obelix when sailing single handed from Puerto Williams (Chili) to South Africa might have done it . I’ll ask him his experience…

We have tested it with 5-6 bft, just to practise… As the staysail is self tacking you have to attach it windward with an extra block or around the cleat…

That is for your first question.

Concerning the second question: You have to make a difference between the Boréal 44 and 47. See our site http://www.boreal-yachts.com . The Boréal 44 has a pretty vertical stern with a bathing platform which swivels done and up. The original concept was to keep the LOA under 14m. The platform is up when sailing. The Boréal 47 has a different stern with a scoop with 4 big steps/lockers and the liferaft in between. It is a more classic configuration you can see elsewhere. Both have the same LWL but the dynamic Length, when the boat is heeling is +/- 1 m longer on a Boréal 47…

Because the stern curves in on the 47, the lazaret has a slightly smaller access. Because of the scoop on the 47 is much easier to install a support for a Windpilot (but w ehave also done it on a 44)

Does this answers your question ?

Thank you for your reply.

I think the ability to heave to even in benign conditions is important.

Regarding the sugar scoop on the 47: If I understand correctly the Boreal 47 has a longer overhang on which the bathing platform (and extra storage space/steps) is incorporated. This does not form part of the waterline when level but when heeled it does add to the (effective) waterline. And it is also my understanding that the rudder position is unchanged. Would there have been additional advantages if the scoop added to the effective waterline when level (and more aft position of rudder) or these would have been offset by other factors (e.g cost and/or complexity and/or extensive redesign)?

Nicholas –

Thanks for your questions. We have heaved-to exactly once to wait for a low to pass north of us. Conditions were benign and we were just waiting (maybe F5-6), so our experience isn’t particulairy informative – drift rate was a 1-2 knots on a triple reefed main and backed staysail with the wheel partially over and lashed (boat aspect was was stable). We sailed for a night in F7-8 with a bunch of 50 knot gusts on a reach with four reefs and the staysail and the boat was very stable and balanced. Another time we had about 8 hours of 5-6m breaking seas the day after a storm and again we reached with good control even in the 50 knot gusts. We are pretty quick to reef, especailly off the wind, and haven’t been realy caught out and knocled over. Coming from a stoutly built fiberglass traditional hull form boat (35′ Caper George Cutter) we find the Boreal to be really calm below decks in rough weather – the insulation and stiffness just make it feel solid and quiet even when it is drammtic on deck.

– Christopher

Christopher

Thank very much for your kind reply. Real world feedback is invaluable.

Hi Nicolas, I’m only seeing this article and thread now…since everyone else here posted comments I’ve received and replied to an email from JFE asking about my heaving-to experiences on Obelix so far…this last Southern Ocean passage was a bit unusual in that for the first time I felt I had to heave to ‘for real’ indeed, and that took a bit of experimentation…formerly though, as a single-hander I’ve done it under benign to tough-but-not-yet-frightening conditions very often, just to take a break…please ask JFE for the long and more extreme conditions version (too verbose for this forum)…long story short though, I have found the Boreal 47 to be very accomodating in allowing heaving to (properly so, that is not just going through the required textbook boat handling mechanics but actually achieving a safe motion, with very little to zero forward sailing speed and creating one’s own ‘safe zone’ breaking waves downdrifting before they hit the boat) under a variety of sail combinations. Once in more demanding conditions, it took trying a few mainsail/foresails/centreboard combinations before finding what I thought worked best, but I got there! If I thought there was a one-fits-all recipe I would gladly share it but that’s not the case…45 knots wind with 6-7m close-together steep breaking waves doesn’t call for the same combo as 60 knots with 9m slower, bigger but rarely breaking waves etc…brings us back to the Beaufort Scale article from earlier, it can paint a picture in very broad strokes but it’s specifics (mainly wave shape and frequency) that matter. My sincere opinion is that the Boreal hull shape, lifting/adjustable centerboard, and forward sails duet make for a quickly achievable solution under a huge range of conditions…

Thanks very much for sharing this very valuable information. I’m a big believer in the benefits of being able to heave-to safely , so this is very good news.

Hi Chris, I too started ocean sailing on a Cape Gorge— a 36 that I built. https://www.google.com/search?q=cape+george+mariposa&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CB4QsARqFQoTCIPwxNXe5cYCFdGYiAodRMEBvg&biw=1280&bih=885#imgrc=tnwEB5Qw7OTLrM%3A —Still looking good after 40 years— too bad that we can’t buy $3.20 bf teak and CVG Port Orford Cedar anymore!

I’d have to say that it was the only fiberglass boat that I’ve been on that is as stiff as a Boreal! One of its virtues was that when hove to the slick from the big, long keel was really impressive and the boat was able to hold that position easily. A Boreal is such a different boat, much larger, higher windage, radically different keel and rudder. But if you have a direct comparison of the two boats behavior under similar conditions it would be informative.

The Boreal 47 and 35′ Cape George Cutter are pretty different externally but share many atributes conceptually (tough, stable, simple). Our experince is the obvious – more space and storage and faster. In rough weather we find the Boreal to be more stable and calm below – I assume becasue of size and the insulation makes it quieter below. Handleing under power is about the same, bigger but a bit easier to turn. – Christopher

I met Chris and Molly on January 2014 while in Anegada, BVI. Chris showed me Sila and ….I was in love with her and the Boreal concept. I am so happy that they were able to complete the South America circumnavigation! I am myself considering a Boreal (either 47 or 52). We need room for a compressor since we love diving. I read that “SIR ERNST” belongs to three co-owners. I often considered to co-own a boat since I will be on shore for part of the year and docking is the biggest expense plus the locations are often less than reliable. Is the option of c0-owning a boat a reasonable one? I would welcome all readers opinion. I c0-owned and race a J22 without any problem in the past several years. In the ’70, while living in Sardinia I owned a 37′ Amel Kirk and the poor boat used to be stuck at the dock for many months of the year.

Hi Giorio and Jan,

I co-owned a small inshore cruising boat years ago and it worked out well. I also have two friends that co-own offshore cruising boats and say that it has worked for them.

A key component to success is, I think, a detailed written agreement. Just the process of putting that together will make sure that the partner’s expectations are properly aligned.

Beautiful boats! Looking at that big cockpit, I’m left wondering what one does for sun protection in the summer or in the tropics?

Skye – We have a few different shade tarps aboard and rig to suit the conditions in the tropics (both at anchor and occasionally while underway.) Ultimately we didn’t spend all that much time in the tropics and value clean and clear decks over permanently installed shade structures. Certainly a few Boreal’s have bimini’s installed and the Boreal design looks functional to my eye. – Christopher

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Boréal 47.2 review: an improved proven concept

Rupert Holmes will take the helm of Boréal's newest aluminum cruiser - Boréal 47.2.

Boréal is not afraid to forge its own path and its unique aluminum cruising yachts have built a solid reputation over the past 15 years.

The latest model, the Boréal 47.2, is a low draft expedition yacht that can take you anywhere in the world, but as we have found, she is also responsive and fun to sail in fairly limited waters.

The success of the Breton shipyard is based on a wealth of experience.

Its founder, naval architect Jean-François Delvoye, created the Boréal concept based on the experience gained during a six-year circumnavigation with four children, as well as expeditions to South Georgia and Antarctica.

General manager and co-owner Jean-François Heman's extensive experience includes two trips on his own boats to Patagonia and Antarctica.

First-hand knowledge is evident in this new Boreal 47.2, which won the European Yacht of the Year 2021 competition.

The robust design includes an icebreaker stem, watertight bulkheads and 8-10mm bottom plating on a sturdy frame to allow safe access to shore.

Good driving performance is equally important.

Both the centerboard and rudder have effective hydrodynamic profiles, while heavy objects, including the anchor chain, tanks and batteries, are low and centered.

Sailing Boréal 47.2

Our test took place in a residual strong wave after the weather system, which forced Clarissa Kremer to postpone the finish at the Vendée Globe.

Full backstay was blowing, and we installed an additional asymmetrical general purpose spinnaker, in which the boat maintains light movement despite the wave.

Even when the true wind dropped to 8-9 knots, the boat's speed rarely dropped below 6 knots.

Our best speed in the test was 8.7 knots with a true wind of 145 ° and 17 knots.

After a certain roll, the boat becomes very strong and stable, while gusts of wind do not lead to noticeable additional roll, and the leeward side remained above the water even when we deliberately pressed on it.

I've always wondered how a boat behaves when overloaded with sails.

Anchored sheets during above average wind gusts, when we carried the spinnaker in 80-85 ° relative winds, gave us a good opportunity to test this aspect of handling.

The rudder gave many warnings before finally stalling at a much wider angle than those used to sailing high performance boats with deep rudders with high aspect ratio.

But, unlike many flying light boats, the Boréal 47.2 did not go in a circle, and the bank angle hardly increased.

Resetting the mainsheet and centering the rudder to restore laminar flow was enough to quickly regain control, and the boat happily took a more comfortable course.

While the owners are unlikely to plan to push their boats to their limits, it is good to know that the vessel must deal with a hurricane taken by surprise without unnecessary drama.

A pair of centerboards on either side of the rudder are used to adjust the handling characteristics of the boat.

With the centerboards up, she is more responsive and behaves more like a smaller and lighter yacht - ideal for sailing in more limited waters and for maneuvering.

With the centerboards lowered, directional stability is noticeably improved.

At full hauled under the mainsail and genoa, the Boréal 47.2 was like a traditional boat with a long keel, and you could leave the helm for a minute or so without using the pilot.

Shortly after the spinnaker was dropped to gain momentum against the current, the wind dropped again to 8-9 knots.

Sailing in this wind is relatively calm, but above 10 knots the yacht starts to come alive, and at 12-14 knots it becomes more powerful.

Unsurprisingly, a boat of this style is not as heavily driven as cruise yachts.

In this case, there is a risk of quickly losing speed, but speeds over 6 knots can be achieved stably.

For example, at 15 knots true wind we recorded a boat speed of 6.5 knots at 55 ° TWA.

Change of equipment

As soon as we returned to the breeze blowing from the mouth of the Trieux, the cloud band created gusts of up to 22 knots.

As the wind picks up, the concept behind the sailing plan is to swap out the slightly overlapping genoa for an additional staysail with a twist at around 17-20 knots, a transition that has proven to be smooth and easy.

Alternatively, a removable inner forestay with a clip-on staysail can be provided.

The powerful boom haul allows good control of the mainsail twist, despite the absence of a boom-sheet shoulder strap, and the lines of the towed headsail return to the working area of the cockpit for easy adjustment.

On the strongest gusts, a slight weakening of the mainsail helped to hold the boat, and if the wind continued to rise, the reef on the mainsail would be useful.

When the sky cleared and the wind died down, we returned to Genoa.

Then we went up the lower course of the Trieux River under the tail-haul, despite the low tide, and the electric winch removed all efforts from the mainsail in the gusts of wind.

The boat behaved impeccably, without worrying about the lack of control even in a relatively confined space, and it did not require much physical effort.

In this respect, despite the obvious long-range capabilities of the Boréal 47.2, it felt like a smaller and more maneuverable vessel.

This exercise also demonstrated that in the event of engine failure or propeller contamination, we can easily anchor safely.

However, as soon as the channel turned so that the wind was blowing from the bow and the width of the river decreased to less than 150 m, we turned to the engine.

Our test Boréal 47.2 was powered by an optional, more powerful 75hp Volvo Penta D2 engine coupled to a fixed three-blade propeller.

This provides a lot of power - even at 1,700 rpm, we sprinted to 6.25 knots.

Warm and dry

We used the doghouse during a heavy rain storm as we approached Treguier's marina.

The deep safety bucket seat on the port side has good visibility, although a full 360 ° view is difficult due to blind spots on each side.

The Doghouse offers plenty of room for opening paper maps, as well as room for a decent-sized monitor for a navigation computer.

For those of us who have to keep working while cruising, doghouse is a great office with plenty of work space and a stunning view.

A full-height waterproof door insulates the doghouse from the cockpit.

This allows easy access but leaves the sill low, making the interior potentially vulnerable to large waves in the rear.

The wheelhouse roof rises above the two front cab seats, creating additional dry and protected space.

This area can also be fitted with a clear plastic cover that helps protect the boat's interior in very cold weather.

Overall, this is a brilliant location, although it does not provide cover for trimming sails and setting reefs.

Boréal 47.2 Cockpit Areas

Additional space in the rear of the boat, created by a more modern hull shape, was used to divide the cockpit into separate areas for rest and work.

The twin steering wheels also provide a seamless transition from the fold-out bathing platform to the gangway, even when four people are seated around the same cockpit table fold.

Many ropes leading directly to the center winch must go through two 90 ° bends, which inevitably increases friction and loads.

However, the layout looks well executed, with quality deck equipment of an appropriate size.

Mainsail, headsail sheets and spinnaker sheets are usually handled by their own regular size winches located at the stern of each helm station.

However, they are arranged in such a way that they can be directed towards the central winch when additional force is required. On the mast there is a haul-off winch for spinnakers.

Although most sail work, especially in bad weather, can be done from the working area of the cockpit, there are sturdy rungs on each side of the mast.

The painted, non-slip deck of our test boat provided excellent traction. There is also a high bow rail and metal railings welded to the boat structure.

A heavy, combined double bow roller and sprit are standard equipment for this style of boat. However, the location of the windlass is not determined by anything.

The anchor rope is routed aft through a hidden channel under the bow deck to the windlass and chain locker directly in front of the mast.

The main advantage of this method is that 100m of 12mm chain weighs almost a third of a ton, so this weight is moved aft from the bow.

In addition, the windlass located under the opening hatch is not affected by the elements and therefore must be more reliable than those located at the stem.

Stacking and placement

The main deck storage includes a huge sail locker in the bow and a massive infirmary aft with double openings.

It also gives access to the quadrant and other components of the steering system.

Liferaft storage is built into the starboard side of the infirmary and includes a special transom door. There is room on the bow for a decent sized fully inflated tender.

Light steps from the wheelhouse lead to the passenger compartment. It is offset to the port side, while the inner sofa is neatly positioned on top of the centerboard body, which therefore does not appear to encroach on the living area.

Once you start looking around, one of the most striking aspects is the mass of things found throughout Boréal 47.2.

Due to the fact that the batteries and the reservoir are located low in the center of the boat, there are lockers under all bunks, under and outside the seats in the saloon, under the sole of the cabin, and so on.

It is clear that this is a boat that can easily swallow a huge amount of goods, provisions and spare parts needed for long-term self-sufficiency in remote areas.

The galley is on the starboard side, with ample countertop space. They are made of Corian as standard, although our test boat used stainless steel instead.

A large refrigerator with two drawers can be supplemented, if necessary, with a freezer in the aft cabin on the starboard side.

Our test boat was equipped with two foot pumps in the galley - one for salt water and the other as a backup for the pressurized water system.

Two large 13 kg gas cylinders in a special locker, which can be accessed from the cockpit, will provide even avid users with several months of battery life.

The extra volume in the front of the hull makes the owner's stateroom more spacious than the previous generation Boréal 47.

In particular, the bed is wider and the large bathroom includes a spacious separate walk-in shower.

There is also plenty of storage space here, and the base of the bed rises to reveal a huge amount of extra storage.

Aft cabins can be equipped as either twin or double.

In addition, the smaller starboard space can be configured as a larger technical and storage area.

The aft cabins have a full-beam Dorada style air vent for superior airflow.

It is a boat built on considerable experience and attention to detail that takes a proven concept to the next level.

There are many small but clever details that may not be immediately apparent, but that do make a difference to life on board.

It thus represents a major step forward from the first generation Boréal 47.

In particular, the large owner's cabin makes life on board for a long time more civilized, and the large cabin will work both in the tropics and in high latitudes.

This is a superbly capable yacht that can easily make good daily miles across the oceans, yet enjoyable sailing in home waters.

However, what is truly unique is the combination of Boréal's three hallmarks: a robust aluminum construction, a shallow draft that can be dried and the protection provided by a kennel.

The latest Vendée Globe has no doubt demonstrated the importance of effective shelter in difficult conditions, but in the cruise yacht market, this topic is rarely seen as well as Boréal.

Length: 14.39m / 47ft 3in,

Hull length: 13.79 m / 45 ft 3 in,

LWL: 12.73 m / 41 ft 9 in,

Width: 4.39m / 14ft 5in,

Draft: 1.08-2.48 m / 3 ft 7 in - 8 ft 2 in,

Light Offset: 13.650kg / 30.093lb,

Ballast: 3,850 kg / 8,488 lb

Sail area (100% forward triangle): 93.8 m2 / 1010 ft2,

Sail area to displacement ratio: 16.7,

Water: 638 L / 140 gallons,

Fuel: 600 l / 132 gallons

Displacement / LWL ratio: 184,

Base model price excluding VAT: 541,650 euros. Builder: www.boreal-yachts.com

News and articles

Easy-to-use, space-saving navigation apps for your iPad completely change the way you navigate. But who knows how closely the ads of app developers match reality? Matthew Sheahan and Elaine Bunting Taken Seven iPad Navigation Apps Sailing To Test

The iYacht studio has developed a unique concept - a catamaran made from already used materials. Interparus will tell you how this idea was realized.

An excerpt from the famous book by Marie et Herve Nieutin about their family catamaran trip.

Superyacht maker's CEO: Bayesian's crew made an 'incredible mistake'

The body of British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch was recovered Thursday from his family's superyacht that sank off the coast of Italy after it encountered a sudden and powerful storm, authorities said.

After four bodies were recovered from the wreck Wednesday, Lynch's 18-year-old daughter, Hannah, remains the only person unaccounted for, Massimo Mariani, of Italy's interior ministry, told Reuters. Her body may have been swept out to sea, Mariani said.

It could take divers more time to find her body because of the difficulties of accessing the sunken ship more than 160 feet down, said Luca Cari, a fire brigade spokesperson. Rescuers faced a challenging task in scouring extremely deep and narrow spaces around the boat.

Giovanni Costantino, the CEO of Italian ship manufacturer Perini, which made the ship in 2008, told Reuters on Thursday, "The boat suffered a series of indescribable, unreasonable errors."

He said the crew made an "incredible mistake" in not preparing for the storm, even though it was announced in a shipping forecast earlier. "This is the mistake that cries out for vengeance," he said.

Lynch, 59, was best known as the co-founder of Britain’s largest enterprise software, Autonomy, which was sold to Hewlett-Packard in 2011. He had invited his friends on the yacht to celebrate his acquittal in June of fraud charges related to the sale of Autonomy.

The Bayesian, a 184-feet-long British-registered sailboat, went down just before sunrise Monday off the coast of Porticello, near Palermo, where it was anchored when a strong storm swept across the area. Of the 22 passengers and crew members on board, 15, including Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, were pulled from the water Monday, and several were hospitalized. Divers then recovered the body of Ricardo Thomas, the yacht's chef, near the ship.

Who were among the missing?

An exhaustive search ensued for six missing people: Lynch and his daughter; Judy and Jonathan Bloomer, a non-executive chair of Morgan Stanley International; and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda Morvillo.

Jonathan Bloomer was a character witness at Lynch’s fraud trial, and Chris Morvillo, an American citizen, was part of the team that represented Lynch.

Hannah, the younger of Lynch's two daughters, was preparing to study English literature at Oxford University, according to the Sunday Times.

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Investigation opened into the tragedy

Local prosecutors have opened an investigation into the disaster and will hold a press conference on Saturday.

Costantino said there were no errors in the ship's construction or design. "It went down because it took on water. From where, the investigators will tell," he said.

The ship, owned by Lynch's wife, Bacares, was constructed in accordance with international maritime standards and commercially certified by the U.K.'s Maritime and Coastguard Agency, according to Matthew Schanck, chairman of the Maritime Search and Rescue Council. It was refitted for the second time in 2020.

Experts have pointed to a waterspout, a tornado over the water that can travel up to 120 mph, that formed during the storm, as well as the weight of the ship's mast, one of the largest in the world, as possible factors in its sinking.

Contributing: Jeanine Santucci , USA TODAY ; Reuters

IMAGES

Boat Review: Boreal 47
Boat Review: Boreal 47
2018 Boreal 47 sailboat review
Review of the Boréal 44/47 lifting keel aluminum expedition sailboats
Review of the Boréal 44/47 lifting keel aluminum expedition sailboats
Boréal 47.2 review: a proven concept refined

VIDEO

Launch of SV Fabule (Boreal 47.2)
Amazing boat fits in a box
We have lift-off! Spirit's first foiler takes flight #shorts
Racing the cargo ships Ep 12
New 2023 Bavaria Yachts C-42 Award Winning Sailboat Video Walkthrough Review By: Ian Van Tuyl
£570,000 Yacht Tour : 2018 Boréal 47

COMMENTS

Boat Review: Boreal 47
The latest design from Boreal SARL, located in France's Brittany region, the Boreal 47 is an evolution of the Boreal 44, with the extra 3ft coming in the form of a reverse transom incorporating a modest swim step. Both the hull and deck are fabricated in aluminum: same with the pilothouse, or "command module," which incorporates a padded ...
Boréal 47.2 review: a proven concept refined
When close-reaching under main and genoa the Boréal 47.2 had more of the feel of a traditional long keel design and it was possible to leave the helm for a minute or so without engaging the pilot ...
Test Sail and Review of The Boréal 47.2
Cockpit. Boreal 47.2 showing the new open-cockpit design with twin wheels, but still only one well-protected rudder. Once aboard the test boat, the most obvious difference is the spacious cockpit, with its wider, longer seats and twin wheels. Compared with the small, enclosed cockpit and single wheel of the 47, this is a major departure.
Boat Review: Boreal 47
This versatile aluminum boat won Cruising World's overall Boat of the Year award for 2018. Boat Review: Boreal 47 Jon Whittle. Gale-force winds blew through the mid-Atlantic region on the night before we were scheduled to sail the Boréal 47 on Chesapeake Bay last October. First thing that morning, we called the builder to cancel.
An expedition into the world of Boreal
The Boréal 44 was also "Boat of the Year" in France in 2011, and in Holland in 2012. Our Boréal 47 was "Best Midsize Cruiser and "Overall Winner Boat of the Year" in 2018. More important than that, of course, is the boat: A Boréal is a simple, reliable go any-where live aboard sailing boat.
The Garcia Exploration 45 Compared to the Boréal 47—Part 1
The early-build Boréal 44 that Phyllis and I inspected and sailed on. To make this as relevant as possible I have compared the Garcia to the Boréal 44/47—the only difference between the two Boréals is the addition of a sugar scoop stern on the 47—since that boat is the obvious competitor and, more importantly, the Boréals have a 10-year track record of successful cruises to some of the ...
Boréal 55
Sail area/displacement: 22. Displacement/LWL: 153. PRICE. Base price: £565,000. As tested: £719,000. boreal-yachts.com. Insure this yacht with Craftinsure from £2,288.25. The new Boréal 55 is a go-anywhere yacht that will get even the most stolid sailor dreaming of far-flung horizons.
The Garcia Exploration 45 against the Boréal 47—Hull & Build
The two aluminium expedition offshore sailboats boats hull and build quality compared in an in depth review. ... Bottom line, you don't want a lifting keel shallow draft boat, like a Boreal or Ovni, and that's fine. That said, given the record of these boats, saying that they are not seaworthy, even "relatively" is simply ignoring the ...
ON TEST BORÉAL 47.2: OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
This first-hand knowledge shows through in many ways with this new 47.2, a European Yacht of the Year 2021 winner. The rugged construction includes an ice-breaking stem, watertight bulkheads and 8-10mm bottom plating on substantial framing that enables the boat to be safely beached. Equally, good sailing qualities are an important element.
Boreal 52 boat test
The Boreal 52 has a purposeful, robust, utilitarian style. Photos: Jean-Marie Liot. TAGS: Boat tests European Yacht of the Year HR. If 'off-road' or 'off-piste' were categories in sailing ...
BOREAL 44/47: A Bulletproof Aluminum Centerboard Cruiser for High and
The transom on a 44. The panel in the middle folds down to serve as a small boarding and swim platform. Plate thickness in the transom is 6mm. The transom skirt on a 47, which is otherwise identical to the 44. Note the solid lengths of pipe that make up the hull-deck joint. This enhances the joint's structural integrity and is also more ...
BOREAL 44.2 a proven concept refined for true blue water adventure;
Full tour of the new Boreal 44.2 blue water adventure cruiser. More than 10 years ago Boreal stormed the aluminium sailboat market with a boat that would be ...
Best Midsize Cruiser 44-47 Feet
Winner: Boreal 47 Jon Whittle Winner: Boreal 47. A tightly knit division of three yachts, including a pair of aluminum boats from France (the Allures 45.9 and the Boreal 47) and a center-cockpit design from the United Kingdom (the Gunfleet 43), the Best Midsize Cruiser 44 to 47 Feet class not only delivered a worthy category winner, it also produced the top overall boat for 2018.
Jimmy Cornell: Why aluminium centreboarders are ideal for serious explorers
Boreal 44.2. Boreal is a brand born from the experience of Jean-François Eeman, who spent six years sailing around the world with his four children. The new 44.2 will replace the ten-year-old ...
Boréal 47 : for the rear skirt fans
The Boréal 47.2 was designed taking into account all feedbacks from our owners (more than 60!) of Boréal 44 and 47. A real Boréal with the general specifications and the philosophy of the shipyard in terms of safety, ergonomics, comfort at sea, stability and performance. A marine boat that will take you safely to the end of the world with a ...
Boreal 55
Our intrepid boat tester Sam Jefferson camps in Treguier in order to put this all-aluminium, high-latitude cruiser to the test.
Maiden Voyage of The Boreal 55—What Worked and What Didn't
Watt & Sea hydrogenerator and Windpilot Pacific mounting detail. Hydrogenerator. There are two models available in the cruising range of Watt & Sea hydrogenerators, and Eala Bhan is fitted with the more powerful 600W version, which, at 970 mm, is the longer of the two lengths available to ensure constant immersion.. In order to make for a robust and simple installation, Boréal have ...
Aluminum Upgrade: Boreal 55 OC
Aluminum Upgrade: Boreal 55 OC. November 3rd, 2021. ·. ·. Interview. I am a big fan of aluminum yachts as you all may know and I do not miss a chance to grab a story on these fantastic boats. Be it a new boat launched by the handful of aluminium yards, a walkthrough in one of these or the chat with a naval architect.
Boreal Yachts : from the Tropics to extreme cold
Boreal are solid performance boat, a roomy all-rounder, as comfortable at sea as at anchor with appealing «bonuses». BOREAL'S CONCEPT BOREAL... 6 UNIQUE VERSIONS OUR YACHTS. Boreal Yachts. Les voiliers qui font rêver. From dream to reality. BOREAL 47.2
Boréal 47.2 : European Yacht of the Year 2021
We are very happy and proud to announce that today, 21th of January 2021, the Boréal 47.2 officially received the award "European Yacht of the Year 2021" in the "Bluewater Cruiser" category. We are extremely grateful to all members of the Jury for their recognition. The winner in each category is elected by a jury of 12 journalists ...
Boréal 47—An Owner's Experience
The following is a user review of our Boréal 47, making no claim to pure objectivity, because we love this boat. ... In a flat bottomed boat like the Boreal or our Garcia the higher density of lead lowers the centre of gravity by only a few inches. John Harries Admin. Reply Neil McCubbin July 5, 2015 9:51 am Hi Neil, Lots of great thoughts ...
Boréal 47.2 review: an improved proven concept
First-hand knowledge is evident in this new Boreal 47.2, which won the European Yacht of the Year 2021 competition. The robust design includes an icebreaker stem, watertight bulkheads and 8-10mm bottom plating on a sturdy frame to allow safe access to shore. Good driving performance is equally important.
Boréal 44, the long trip yacht
The Boreal 44.2 succeeds to the 44, launched end of 2009, "Sailing Boat of the Year" in 2010 in France and in 2011 in Holland. Today, the Boréal 44 is without doubt a world reference in the Bluewater category. The Boréal 44.2 shares her specifications with all Boréals. Her minimal size makes her the ideal boat for sailors navigating as a ...
Body of Mike Lynch found, recovered from sunken yacht wreckage
Rescuers faced a challenging task in scouring extremely deep and narrow spaces around the boat. Giovanni Costantino, the CEO of Italian ship manufacturer Perini, which made the ship in 2008, told ...